The recent announcement of Himanta Biswa Sarma, the State Education Minister, Assam for closing more than 600 Madrasas and more than 100 Sanskrit Tols is definitely a welcome step for keeping our education system secular. But simultaneously, I strongly emphasize that the Sanskrit language should be adopted as a compulsory subject up to 7th standard like several forerunner private schools in Assam at present. It is our heritage language that was badly affected during the Muslim as well as British rules. In Sanskrit literature we can get refinement, thought of spirituality, philosophy and also good moral values which is lacking in other literatures. We should inculcate the minds of every student with good moral as well as spiritual ethos right from their childhood which is lacking in the society nowadays. Here some people may argue that Sanskrit as an additional compulsory subject would overburden the students. This argument does not stand because many students from private schools like Maharshi Vidyamandir and Sankardev Sishu Niketan etc have been passing exams with flying colours adopting Sanskrit as a compulsory subject these days learning about good moral ethics. After completing schooling and degree course interested students may further go for research works in Sanskrit as there is a huge scarcity of good Sanskrit scholars in India at present. Moreover, learning more language is not unfamiliar in other parts of the world. For instance many Latin American countries and also developed countries like the Netherlands and Switzerland have at least 4 languages to be learned in schooling. In Germany there are more than 1,200 Sanskrit schools and 14 Universities teach the Sanskrit language. Learning more languages will increase the ability of our students only. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to adopt the Sanskrit language as a compulsory subject in all the schools of Assam.
Bhaskar Deka,
Beltola, Guwahati